Speaking at the Futuresource 2010 event in London's Docklands yesterday (June 16), Mr Stone also said that, in light of WRAP facing a budget cut to help Defra meet its £162 million spending reduction target for 2010/11 (see letsrecycle.com story), it would have fewer priorities and would focus on partnership working.
We must focus on fewer priorities, communicated clearly to our partners so there are no false expectations
Peter Stone, chairman, WRAP
And, he used his speech to highlight the benefits that could also be achieved by local authorities from partnership working, claiming that councils working together could save money, make efficiencies and also generate revenue – for example by increasing the income from the sale of the recyclables they collect.
Outlining exactly how WRAP planned to operate in the current climate of spending cuts, Mr Stone said: “We are in the process of developing a new business plan for 2011-14 against a backdrop of growing expectations from our funders, but diminishing budgets. We must focus on fewer priorities, communicated clearly to our partners so there are no false expectations.”
In particular, he said WRAP would look to “leverage more” from its partners, deliver “value” and would only become involved in areas where it was sure there weren't other bodies who could do something “better or cheaper” than them.
“There will be a greater emphasis on working through partnerships, empowering change, triggering change and on never presuming that we are always the best people to deliver results,” he added.
In terms of the body's new business plan, which he stressed was a “work in progress”, Mr Stone said: “I can tell you that the two priority areas we have in mind are a clear focus on waste reduction, through promoting leaner products and services, and continued diversion of biodegradable waste from landfill.”
The 2011-14 business plan will be WRAP's first since it took over sole charge for delivering Defra's resource efficiency goals, in April 2010 (see letsrecycle.com story), a change which is also expected to see energy from waste featuring on its agenda for the first time (see letsrecycle.com story).
Councils
Detailing the challenges that councils faced – and how partnership working could help to address them – Mr Stone warned that reduced budgets could force “tough decisions” from local authorities on spending priorities, putting pressure on both funding for projects and staff costs.
“It will certainly cast a harsh spotlight on whether those services are delivering value for money and how that value can be improved,” he said, adding that: “Staff reductions could well put pressure on the available skill base.”
Mr Stone gave examples of how partnership working could address these challenges, including the two Oxfordshire councils, Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire, who were now sharing a chief executive and joint management structure.
And, he also pointed towards the potential revenue generation available by local authorities working together, with 10 Hertfordshire councils clubbing together to jointly send a range of recyclables to two firms – something the councils expected to generate them an extra £560,000 in income a year (see letsrecycle.com story).
With sharing best practice also identified as a way councils could work together, Mr Stone also claimed that: “One of the spin-off benefits of shared resources and knowledge could reduced diversity in recycling services, which would be popular with the public – who are observant about these things – and could lead to greater consistency in the materials collected for recycling.”
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